A Status Confessionis Issue

(from Kevin DeYoung)

The phrase status confessionis if often bandied about in the RCA.  It’s Latin for "confessional status."  Although it came out of specific Lutheran doctrinal debates in the 16th century, the term carries a broader connotation.   It means that a particular doctrine is essential to who we are as a church.  If something is status confessionis it means this is a make or break issue.  It means that the church will not tolerate others views on this matter.  It means that this is not an indifferent matter or one on which we can agree to disagree.  It means that if we are to be faithful in confessing the gospel we must confess this.

Homosexuality is a status confessionis issue.  If we tolerate the doctrine that says homosexual behavior is a gift from God, we have tolerated too much.  We must confess, always with love and graciousness, that homosexual behavior is a sin and we must not allow our churches, our ministers, our schools, or our professors to say otherwise.

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